You have experienced a traumatic event or a critical incident (any incident that causes FAA personnel to experience unusually strong emotional reactions which have the potential to interfere with their ability to function either at work or otherwise). Even though the event may be over, you may now be experiencing or may experience later, some strong emotional or physical reactions. It is very common, in fact quite normal, for people to experience emotional aftershocks when they have passed through a horrible event.

Sometimes the emotional aftershocks (or stress reactions) appear immediately after the traumatic event. Sometimes they may appear a few hours or a few days later. In some cases, even weeks or months may pass before the stress reactions appear.

The signs and signals of a stress reaction may last a few days, a few weeks, or a few months, and occasionally even longer, depending on the severity of the traumatic event. With understanding and the support of loved ones the stress reactions usually pass more quickly. Occasionally the traumatic event is so painful that professional assistance from a counselor may be necessary. This does not imply craziness or weakness. It simply indicates that the particular event was just too powerful for the person to manage by themselves.

Here are some very common signs and signals of a stress reaction. Remember, you may pass through this event with no negative reactions, and that is okay too.

 

Physical

Cognitive

Emotional

Behavioral

fatigue	blaming someone	anxiety	change in activity
nausea	confusion	guilt	change in speech pattern
muscle tremors	poor attention	grief	withdrawal
twitches	poor decisions	denial	emotional outbursts
chest pain	heightened alertness	severe panic	suspiciousness
difficulty breathing	lowered alertness	emotional shock	change in usual
elevated blood pressure	poor concentration	fear	...commmunication
rapid heart rate	memory problems	uncertainty	loss/increase in appetite
thirst	hypervigilance	loss of emotional control	alcohol consumption
headaches	difficulty identifying	depression	inability to rest
visual difficulties	...familiar people/objects	inappropriate emotions	antisocial acts
vomiting	increased/decreased	apprehensions	nonspecific bodily
grinding of teeth	...awareness	feeling overwhelmed	...complaints
weakness	poor problem solving	intense anger	hyperalert to environment
dizziness	poor abstract thinking	agitation	startle reflex intensified
profuse sweating	loss of time, place, or	etc.	pacing
chills	...person orientation		erratic movements
shock symptoms	disturbed thinking		change in sexual
fainting	nightmares		...functioning
etc.	intrusive images		etc.
	etc.